I will Wait
by Iji
Summary: InuYasha see's the day where Kagome accepts his request to become his mate, though he also see's the day of her untimely death. On his promise he lives through the years without her in wait for her rebirth until, finally, he is able to join her life once


Disclaimer: I don't own Inu.

Author: Ijiness and BurondoHimegimi

Rating: R

Title: I Will Wait

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Plush lips, lips I had loved to taste, parted so slowly. Expression of relief twisted into that of shock and confusion. I stared up at her, dumbstruck until I could feel the pool of liquid rush as if a gunshot to my gut. Warm, sticky, and fresh from her own chest, pumped by her own heart, as if reaching for its own assurance in my embrace.

There was no assurance I could give at that point. Nothing I could do to stop the limb that had lodged itself into my mates body. Her small frame. It was never meant to house such a monstrosity. Naraku's last gift to us, his farewell speech. The bastard.

She fell onto me, our blood mixing into a stew of angst and depression, though devotion. She was in shock as I turned her about to cradle her as I had many times before while we played about behind the scenes of brush, or in our dwelling we had carved for the day that was finally there. The day we had defeated Naraku, our enemy. We were going to live in a roomy cave, a den. A home. We were going to rear pups, live our lives. We were going to live!

Then why was she dieing in my arms?

"I told you once before… I regret nothing.." she breathed, so raggedly, "I accept I am going to die.."

"No!" I had urged her, attempting not to jostle the paling form, though I couldn't help it with the shivers she was sending through my body. She was so cold! "Don't speak, save your energy!"

"How did.. I know you were going to say that?" a smile, weak yet genuine, graced her lips. Those loving lips! "None of this.. Is your fault. Do not blame yourself, my love." A hand had risen, coated in her own life force that now betrayed her as it soaked into the dirt that surrounded our tattered bodies. Its destination was me, I had known, but it had never made it, hovering half way. "That's funny.."

"Nani?"

"I don't.. Feel any more pain.."

I don't know when the tears had finally subsided, or exactly when Sango, Miroku, and Shippou had appeared behind us, but I was defiantly sure that the limp form within my arms, head rested against my shoulder, was gone. It was a shell of who I knew as my mate. Sango sniffled and whimpered to the thought of her closest friend having passed, her shoulders comforted beneath the arm of her fiancée, Miroku, who began to pray over my rocking vessel of a body. Shippou was predictable and just began to wail.

I finally had the nerve to lay her out, over a blanket from her bag, and allow the others of my 'pack' to say their goodbyes. It wasn't long, though, for most of us had nothing much to say in regards. What could one say to someone who could do so much and ask for so little? She taught a taijia to live and move on from her past. She taught a Houshi that where there are plenty of fish in the sea, there's usually one sitting right in front of you. She taught a Kitsune to grow up, stand for something he believed in, and to not let a big bad hanyou bully him. And he taught a hanyou to forgive, forget, and to learn to love again.

I could have cursed her at that moment. Yelled and stomped, and stormed at her at that moment, and yet I stayed calm. My hands steadily covered her with the blanket she had laid upon, lifting her to my arms and carrying her the long walk back to our village. I had kept her backpack on my side when I had dropped into that well, wishing to be greedy and hold something of hers for myself if I was going to have to give her up completely to the other side.

It was the same course of events as before, a prayer, a sniffle, and a wail. There were no harsh words, nor were there blames or pointed fingers as I had expected. Though, I knew deep down, there wouldn't be. This was my extended family, they wouldn't scold me, they knew I shared the same pain.

"InuYasha?" Mama had asked, "Why not stay here… We know you have little family.. I'm sure Kagome would have loved for you to know all there is to know of this time…Please.. stay with us."

"I'm sorry." I had said, a smile touching my lips. It was such an offer, though I could not accept. Never could I accept. "I am waiting for someone now, I wouldn't want to miss them." And I had returned, leaving them to their cremation ceremonies, their modern burials while I had a burial of my own.

I had found out a few days after I had returned her body that, without her soul and the shikon no tama, which I had sent with her to be cremated with her body, to tie the worlds together, the well wouldn't work. No shit, I guess, considering it was a bit of common sense. I was left with her bag of belongings. By now I had ripped almost every page of her journals from their spines, tearing some, storing some, burning some. Any way to get rid of those memories, to get rid of those words that reminded me of the way things used to be. I had eaten all of her ramen. I had taken every ounce of scent from every garment. I had read at least half of one of her textbooks. I was then left with the realization that I had at least 500 years left to live before I could even think of seeing her again, and that I only had half of a bag worth of her things to tide my sanity over. At that time, it seemed like I might as well tie a rock to my ankle and jump in a river.

I, instead, watched as my 'pack' began to grow. Sango, and Miroku, having happily married and had pups of their own, soon died of old age, as was expected of them. Shippou, though, only began his journey in life. I had taken it upon myself to teach him the essentials, how to hunt and bargain. How to build a home and fit in with the 'natives.' And also, how to hide from them as well.

Live became more bearable as time went on, finding myself a rather large home to take into, Shippou finding America, and Sesshoumaru, as usual, finding power and his stand in the spotlight. The good thing about his newfound importance in government, is that he owed me a big debt. I had managed to find an old witch woman who specialized in the bending of time in potions, and was able to have her mix up an elixir, giving not so little Rin, a chance at eternal life. Sesshoumaru, having taken her as his mate, couldn't back away from the obligation he held to me. I merely said I want full ride on his little coattail for myself and my adopted family. So far he hasn't backed down yet.

Now, 500 odd some years from the death of Kagome, I am standing here before Goshinboku, looking up into the familiar leaves beside the familiar house, on the familiar shrine. My appearance is hidden beneath a clever guise of youkai ingenuity. Hair short, modern, and a jet black, hues that of dark violet, Shippou often reminding me of how much they resemble the out Houshi's. For once, I am clad in uniform, that of a high school in which I would attend this morning. Eyes lifted to the window, a smirk gracing my expression. I would attend this high school where my life would begin to repiece itself together, and her life would begin anew.

"But until then…" I yawn, turning and leaning my back against the trunk of the mighty Goshinboku, "I should.. Rest my eyes.." within moments, I could feel the familiar calm of slumber rush over my form, sweeping away the speedy heartbeat and gnawing bugs in my stomach..

This would be… Where our story begins!


End file.
